Just take a look at the rise and fall of those who have taken part in such reality TV shows as Pop Idol or Fame Academy.

Even with mass exposure, the likes of Gareth Gates, David Sneddon and Michelle McManus have all fallen by the wayside in a business that is always looking for the next big thing.

Sometimes, however, a singer can come out of nowhere and achieve lasting success. That is exactly what Hersham writer/producer Tim Laws is hoping will happen with his latest find, Jem Cooke.

Soul singer Jem became an in-house session singer when she was just five years old and, by the time she took on part-time employment as a singing waitress in a London restaurant, she was, in performing terms, an old hand.

It was while the 17-year-old Jem was at the restaurant that she was spotted by an executive from a major label, who had no hesitation in offering her a record deal.

The next four years were spent appearing at scores of songwriter nights at venues in and around London and Newcastle, where she perfected her writing and voice.

Eventually, she began to record demos of these songs and copies began circulating between friends — and an ever-expanding circle of friends’ friends.

Tim first heard Jem after Steve Lee, his production partner, gave him a CD of hers that a builder had been playing in his house.

“She had a fantastic voice and she sang from the heart,” said Tim. “There are a lot of great singers out there but there are not many who sing like that and mean it.

“It was two or three cover versions of old jazz standards and I immediately thought that she was quite special.

“What makes her unique is the fact that she has got her own voice. She knows what she wants to say and that immediately sets her apart from the big solo singers at the moment.

“A lot of acts don’t write their own material but Jem is a fantastic singer and fantastic performer — she is the real deal.”

Tim said that most people would compare Jem to Joss Stone, who has enjoyed transatlantic success with debut album The Soul Sessions and, more recently, Mind, Body and Soul.

“Jem is a little more edgy and has got a lot more to say,” said Tim. “You could even compare Jem to someone like Dusty Springfield, because she sings the most beautiful soul songs, or even Annie Lennox, as she can verbalise what a lot of people feel, certainly from a woman’s point of view.”

Tim is confident that if she is managed correctly, Jem can be around for the next 20 to 30 years.

“She knows that, musically, she has to move with the times so that she will appeal to people,” he said. “She will have to do slightly different music, but the fact that she writes her own material will make sure that she is around then.”

Tim is no stranger to helping relatively unknown singers get to the top. In 1993, he wrote Dreams with Gabrielle. “That went to number one in the charts and really catapulted me into the big league,” said Tim.

Since then, he has worked with the likes of Britney Spears, Will Young and Liberty X.

“I have made a living out of it and that is all I have aimed to do,” said Tim. “I haven’t got any sort of great ambitions — like ruling the world — I just love doing what I get paid to do.”

His production style is based on not being overly dependant on processed beats and samples, which can sometimes stifle a song.

“I do more classic soul production,” he said. “I keep myself updated with sounds and techniques, but I am more of a song man than a dance producer might be. I always do as little as possible because I am very conscious of over-producing things. I like to use a lot of organic instruments and as many live musicians as possible.”

The results of his and Jem’s hard work can be heard on her forthcoming album. Her debut single, My Favourite Vice, was released earlier this month.